Type-writing machine.



0. 0, KAVLE. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1907.

954,439, Patented Apr. 12,1910.

2SHEETS-SHEETL 71 a? asses:

' I O. GHKAVLB. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. A'PPLIOATION FILED JULY 25,1907.

Patented 2, 1910.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OE IoE.

OSCAR o. K VL' OF SYRACUSE, NEwYonK, Assreuon T0 HARVEY A. MOYER, 0

- SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

' TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

' Application filed July 25, 1907. Serial No..385,411.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR C. KAVLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'lype-Vriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting inachines in which thetype-bars are provided with two sets of type, one of which is normally in printing relation to the platen, and the other of which is brought into printing relation by shifting either the platen or the type-bar segment or support and the inven-. tion relates more particularly to means for securing or locking the shiftable part in the shifted position.

The objects of the invention are to produce eflicient and desirable means of simple and inexpensive construction for holding the shiftable part in the shifted position, and which can be operated to release the shifted part by the actuation of either of two shift keys; also to so construct the looking or holding means that the same can be actuated or not, as desired, in actuating one of the shift keys and by the same motion which effects the shift; also to adapt the latch or holding device to be arranged for operation by either of two shift keys at op posite sides of the keyboard so that at the option of the operator, either of the shift keys can be made the one for locking the shift; also to provide a latch for holding the shiftablepart from movement, and to provide means for positively locking the latch in holding position to prevent the possible accidental release of the shiftable partwhen the machine is-used for tabulating or is otherwise subjected to abnormally severe usage.

In the accompanyingdrawings, consisting of two sheets: Figure 1 is a fra mentary longitudinal sectional elevation of a typewriting machine provided with platen shifting and shift locking mechanism embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail cross-section of the latch and latch lock in line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of the locking lever. Fig. 4 is a broken plan view, partly in horizontal section, of the shifting and shift locklng mechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12,

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures. Y

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in connection with a front-strike machine in which the platen carriage supported and travels laterally on a shift frame which is pivoted to swing vertically for shifting-the platen from one to the other of its two printmg positions. The invention is not, however, restricted. in application to this type of machine nor to amachine in which the platen is shifted, as the construction and operation of the shifting and locking mechanism can be the same whether the part operated thereby is the platen or the type-bar segment or support.

A represents the main frame of the machine, a ahorizontal cross-bar thereof located in rear of the keyboard, B the platen, (J the platen carriage, and l) the shift frame on which the platen is supported and travels laterally and which is suitably pivoted at the upper rear portion of the main frame to oscillate about an axis'indicated at d for shifting the platen from one to the other of its printing positions.

The shift frame D is operated by the following mechanism: E represents an oscillatory eccentric journaled in a suitable bearingc on the main frame and connected by a rogLor pitnian e to the shift frame. The eccentric is provided with or secured to a gear seginent c meshing with a toothed segment 0 on an arm fixed to a horizontal rock shaft F which is journaled at its oppositeends in suitable bearings on the main frame. This rock-shaft is provided near its opposite ends with forwardly projecting arms f having rocking engagement with the rear ends of two centrally pivoted shift levers G E turned one-half of a revolution to raise.

at their front held up and rethe shift frame and shift/the platen from I p pivoted at one end on a screw 2' in a lug on the c bilb normal position, indicated bythe full line circle, to the shifted position indicated by thebroken line circle in Fig. 1. a

The'pa'rts thus'fa'r described are of known construction; In so far as the locking means, to be presently described, are concerned, the motion of the shift levers could be transmittedto the platen. or other part to be shifted by other suitable mechanism.

,bar a, and throu h the slots shift levers and a )key levers extend steadying the front ends-of said levers; The upward or return movements of the shift levers are limited by engagement of the levers with the upper ends of the slots of the-comb plate.

I represents a latch'or device suitably 'pivoted adjacent to one of the shift levers for holding the shift frame and platen in the shifted'position. In the construction illustrated the latch is adjacent to the left- [hand shift lever G, an'd'is of L-shape, being so the type-bar actuating adjacent side of the main frame. The latch is provided at its upper end with a notch or seat adapted to receive a pin 2" project- .,.ing lateral1y from the adjacent arm f of the F, when the front end, of said;

' i'o'ck. shaft garin is raised by the depression of either i with a lateral projection or pin 2' and is front endlocated adjacent to the shift key,

preferably overthe shift lever. just in rear ofthe shift key. The locklever is preferably pivoted to a bracket is secured. by screws/(i tov the cross bar a of the frame, and is normally held with its rear end depressed in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a suitable spring in connecting the lock lever to its pivot bracket. The rear end of 'the lock lever is preferably elastic or capable of springing with reference to its front portion, for which purpose the rear end of the lever shown in Fig. 1 is twisted at right angles to its front portionand made of spring temper. Fig' 3 "shows anotherconstruction of the legver in which itis made in two pivoted parts is .lc 'connected by a spring is. The lock lever also extends through a 'slot provided therefor inthe comb plate H, and itsreturn lock or retain'itin the for properly spacing and,

-with the ,latch. The

,shift key. The latch is provided at its anglemovement by its spring [a is limited by con-v tiictt of the lever with the upper end of the s o When it is desired to shift the platen and shifted position, the left-hand shift lever G, which is ad'acent to the lock lever in the construction 5 own, is

used and the finger is placed thereon so as to project beyond the shift H-'-}represents a vertical transverse comb or slotted plate depending from the cross of which the key far enough to engage and depress the key or front end. of the lock lever also, winch raises. its rear end war y against the 2" on th' ck m 7- In -the continued downward movement of the shift-key the 'rear end of the lock lever yields, and when the pin 11. clears the upper end of the.1atch,the latch springs underitand holds the arm 7 and parts operated thereby in theshifted position. When the ressure on the shift key is relieved, the lock lhver by its action. holds the: latch inengagement 'with the pin a," until. the rear end of the shift lever leaves the rock arm. f, whereup n the weight of the shift frame and connected parts will hold the pin i .in engagement 1 1 act of depresslng th lever fleites its rear end more than enough to swin the latch I back to the hold-,

andfiresses the upper end of the la ch rear- 1 mg position, t 'e'objcct being to. hold the latch in the locking position until after both the shift and lock levers have started back to.

the normal position, or until the wei htof the shifted parts rests on and hol s'the latch. Vith the fin er piece on the front end of the lock lever ocated as described, it is possible for the operator to dep ss e loc ring shift key and effect the shift without operating the oak lever and holding the parts in; shifted position, by placing the tip of the-finger on the shift key. Thus his 1 possible to actuate the latch by the same movement and with the same finger which operates the shift key, '01. the locking shift key can be actuated to shift the platen witho'utlocking it, by simply properly placmg the finger onthe shift my. The platen can therefore be shifted by either Shift key, and

it can also h released and retu ned to t normal position by means of e1ther slnft lever, because when either lever is depressed the rock shaft F will be rocked and the pin i on the arm 7" adjacent to the latch will be lifted off of the latch, which will allow-the latter to swing forwardly to its norl'nal position, out of the path of the pin 2', so that when pressure on the shift key is relieved the rock shaft and shifted parts can return to their normal position.

As some operators refer the locking shift key at the right-ban side of the keyboard, provision is made for arranging the-latch and lock lever adjacent to the r1ght;han d shift leverto cotiperate therewith. For this purpose a in L, Fig. 4, is providedpn the right-hand side of the frame on which the latch canfbe fulcrumedat 'the ri'ght-hand' side of the shift lever G by its pivot screw 2, and the crossbar a is provided with screw holes min which the pivot bracket 72- for 5 'the lock lever K-can be secured by itsscrews -k --wi th the lock lever in the same relation to the rlght-hand shift leverfG as it occupies in the drawings with regard to the left-hand fihlfhflBVeI G. The comb plate H is also prosided with an appropriate slot at its right- 2 to quickly arrange the shift lock to suit thepurchaser, and also makes it possible to supply a machine with shift-locking means at both sides of the keyboard if Wan'ted,by simply adding duplicate parts and without 2 having to make the 'machine' to order. 'VVhilethe locking means are particularly desirable in machines having two shift 1evers or keys, they-are equally desirable for or lever. The lock lever requires'very little force to operate the latch, and the action is easy and quick, and it avoids confusion as compared with a shift lock that is at a distance from the regular shift key, or with machines having separate keys, one for shifting only, and the other for shifting.

and locking, as generally used.

A rigid locklever could be used to oper ate the latch, butin that case it would be 4, necessary to hold the lock lever down until after the shift lever has started back to its normal position. v In some typewriters provided with. tabulating mechanisms the shock incident to 4 stopping the carriage at the end of a long travel might releasethe latch I. To positively lock the latch in its holding position its upper end is preferably reduced in width and a stud or screw N, Figs. 1 and 2, is profi vided'which, when the machine is to be used for tabulating, is secured in a hole in the shift lever which is next to the latch, in front of this reduced end of the latch. When the locking stud is-in place and the lever is operated to shift the platerrwithout locking it, the locking stud vibrates opposite to the reduced end of the latch, but when thelatch is operated to lock the shift,'as be fore described, the end of the stud will stand in front of the wide lower portion of the latch and will positively prevent the latch from moving forwardly to release the rock arm f, unless the locking shift key is depressed, thereby lifting the locking stud,

1 and the lock lever K also actuated to release use on a machine havingbut. one shift key the latchywhich will then drop forward to the normal position with its wide portion below the locking stud. Forordinary use when the carriage is only permitted to feeda smgle'letter space at a time, the locking '70 stud N isnot used and then either shift lever can be used to release the latch, as before explained. Each shift lever is rovided with a hole forthe lockingstud, w iich can therefore be secured to either lever so that thepositive lock can be used with the latch ,at either side of the machine.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a typewriting' machine, the combination of shifting mechanism forv changing the rinting relation of the platen and ty e, a shiftikey forthe'same, and a lock key or the? shifting mechanismshaving a finger- -engaging part adjacenti'to the shift key in position to be engaged and moved with the 5 shift key bythe same finger that-operates the shift, key, substantially-as set forth.

'2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the laten and type,

a shlft key for thesame, an

a lock key for the shifting mechanism inde endent of and adjacent to the shift key an adapted to be moved simultaneously with the shift key and acting when so moved to lock the shift- .ing mechanism inshifted position, Substan- ,tially'as set forth.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of .shiftin mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a shift lever for the same, and a lock lever for-the shiftfin mechanism arranged adja cent to said shi lever in position to ermit the shift lever .to be actuated at wil independently of the lock lever or together with the lock lever by the same finger and with the same movement that operates the shift lever, substantially as set forth.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combi nation of a shiftin mechanism for Chang .1 0 mg the printing r'e ation of the platen and type, a shift key normally acting when op erated to shift said mechanism without loc ing the same, and a lock key which has a finger engaging part arranged adjacent to 115 .the shiftkey in position to be engaged by the same finger that operatesthe shift keV and which ,'s' adapted to be moved at will simultaneously with the shift key and acting when so moved to lock the shifting 1 o mechanism in shifted position, Substantially as set forth. i

5. 'In a typewriting machine, the combi nation of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, 5 I

means for lockingthe shifting mechanism in shifted position, and a pair of independently movable shift levers each acting normally to shift the shifting mechanism, and each acting to unlock said locking means if 130 acting norma ly to shift the shifting f I one of 10.

- substantially as set forth.

- .ing connection .with

moved when the shifting mechanism is in shifted position, substantially as set forth. -6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a pair of inde endently movable shift levers mecha lock lever movable at will with said shift levers to lock the shifting mechanism in shifted position, and conned anism,

' tions between the shift levers'wherebythe operation of either shift lever when the shifting mechanism is locked acts to unlock the same, substantially as set forth.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a shift lever for the same, and an adjacent lock lever acting when depressed with the shift lever to lock the s fting mechanism in shifted position and ermit said shift ke to return to the normal position, said shi t lever acting upon a subsequent depression to unlock the shifting mechanism, substantially as set forth.

' 8. In a typewriting machine, the'combination of' shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a shift key, and a shift lock key having a finger engaging part arranged in rear of the shift key inv a position to permit the shift key to be depressed independently of the lock key or the lock key to be engaged and depressed with the shift key by the tip of the same finger that operates the shift key,

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of shiftin mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a shift key therefor, means for locking the shifting mechanism, and a key movable at will with the shift key and having a yieldthe locking means for operating said locking means to" lock the shifting mechanismin shifted position, substantially as ,set forth.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type,

a shift lever for the same, means for locking the shifting mechanism, a lock lever movable at will with the shift lever,and a yielding connection between the lock lever and the locking means which allows said lock lever to movein advance of said locking means the printing relation of and holds said means in locking position until after the lock lever has started back to its normal position, substantially as set forth.

11. In a-ty nation of shiitm mechanism for changing the printing relation of the laten and ty e, a shift key lever, a latch shifting mechanism in shifted position, and a lock key-lever arranged adjacent to and movable at will with the shift key lever and having a yielding portion which operates said latch, whereby said lock key-lever can be depressed simultaneously with said shift key lever but does not move the latch to holding position until said shift key lever is fully depressed, substantially as set forth.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a shift key therefor, a lock key ada ted to be operated with said shift key at Wlll, and a latch which holds said shifting mechanism in shifted position and allows said shift key to return to its normal position and which is actuated only by the operation of said lock key with said shift key, substantially as set forth. I i 13. In a ty ewriting machine, the combination of shi tin mechanism for changing the platen and type. a shift key therefor, a latch for holding said shifting mechanism in the shifted position, a lock key adapted to be operated at will with said shift key for moving said latch to hold said for positively locking said latch in position, substantially as set forth.

mg position, and means controlled by shift key holdin 14. nation of shifting mechanism for changing the printing relation of the platen and type, a shift lever therefor, a latch for holding said shifting mechanism in the shifted position, a lock lever adapted to be operated at will with said shift lever for moving said latch to holding position, and a part on said shift lever for positively locking said latch in holding position, substantially as set forth.

Vgit-ness my hand, this 20th day of July, 190

j osoAR KAVLE.

Witnesses;

GEORGE F. RAMSON, FRANK EREn).

ewriting machine, the combior holding tie.

n a typewriting machine, the combi 

